Rockettes and the Inaugural

Well I’ve been quiet about Rockettes at the Inaugural thing for a while now and I figured it would work out. It seemed like it wasn’t so bad once MSG and AGVA had given the girls a choice, but actually it’s worse because now it’s divided the girls. With the division in the country at this time, it seems especially important for women to come together, to stand in solidarity, so  to have this infect the dancers is really sad. A dancer’s life is hard enough. If they volunteer, they may get to work again for the Music Hall, but probably forget about the rest of show business. If they don’t volunteer, they probably have a future on Broadway and beyond – except for Radio City. I realize there were reasons that I had been keeping my mouth shut at first, but it only dawned on me today when I started to feel physically sick, that I was probably – as a rape survivor, while a Rockette – re-traumatized. It just hit so hard that these amazing dancers would be offered up to perform for the Predator-in-Chief – a person who has done more to normalize rape culture than Bill Cosby. How do you put young women in this position to glorify a racist, homophobic, xenophobic misogynist who brags about grabbing pussy? A man who bragged about barging into young women’s dressing rooms during the Miss Universe pageants, and bragged about getting anything you want from women when you’re a star? It does make it pretty clear why no real stars/artists have come forward to perform at his sick party. So why should these Rockettes – these talented dancers who have been role models for young girls – have to soil their brand by giving this cheesy celebrity from a reality TV show what he wants because he’s “powerful?” Of course the President of the United States is a powerful position but not everyone who inhabits the role is a person to look up to or support. Now that there are petitions for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to pull out because he doesn’t reflect the values of their church. Who will that leave the Rockettes and Ted Nugent????

Leave a Comment